Time After Time
by KayyLyn
Summary: They always found their way back to one another, no matter what life threw in their way. He knew she was different, he knew she was special. She knew she needed him, but didn't dare to admit it. They both had messy lives, they both had challenges they had to face alone. However, they were strongest when they were together. Together they could do anything. Time after time after time
1. Chapter 1

She stared up at the ceiling, not entirely sure if she wanted to roll over and start her day just yet. Her dyed red hair was matted to the back of her neck, memories of the night before rushing at her a mile a minute. When she heard a thud and a screech, she decided it was time to start the morning hustle after all.

"Tess, Cody, up! We're already late," she called down the hall to the pair of foster siblings her father had taken in shortly after she returned to Chicago three years prior. He had only taken them in for the money the state was paying for their upkeep. "Skip, Jake, TJ, let's go!" She called in the other direction, waking up her three biological brothers. She was the youngest of her siblings, but she was the only responsible one.

Skip and TJ were twins, a year older than she was, while Jake was the oldest of their father's children. He was 25 yet acted like he was 18 most of the time.

"Jake left for work," TJ informed her as he pushed past her to use the bathroom. "Apparently some sorry sap was stupid enough to hire him."  
"I give it a week," she shrugged.  
"Harleigh, I had a project I need to work on with Carl Gallagher after school," Tess informed her. "Can I go?"  
"You'll have to let me call Fiona and make sure, but otherwise, sure," she nodded. "Cody up?"  
"He's complaining his head hurts again," Tess scoffed. Tess was eleven and the older of the two foster kids. Cody was 8 and super smart, but he often took the brunt of the abuse Harleigh's father dished out, especially if she wasn't home to take it herself. The older boys could do no wrong and Tess was too easy to tattle so her father often left the younger girl alone.  
"Did Monty hurt him?" Harleigh asked, concerned.  
"No. He didn't come home last night," Tess shrugged. "Can we take the car?"

Harleigh thought about borrowing her father's old, beaten up Chevy van but decided against it. The damn thing barely ran and she definitely didn't feel like having it break down on her way to work that afternoon. Again. The damn thing was always breaking down.

"Not today, sunshine," she scoffed. "I work tonight and don't need the gas guzzler dying halfway there."  
"Shit," Tess grumbled. She hated taking the bus. "Are you still working at Kash and Grab?" she asked, intrigued by the job Harleigh had managed to score thanks to Ian, Carl's older brother. Even though she worked at the local diner most nights, she didn't hesitate the take the job when Ian told her it was hers if she wanted it. It definitely helped that Lip, Ian's older brother, had vouched for her. He convinced Ian to ask for the job for her.  
"For now," she shrugged. She needed two jobs to keep the shitty, leaking roof over their heads. "I'll be there till 8, then the diner till midnight tonight. Think you can make sure Cody eats something for dinner other than left over cereal?"  
"Sure," Tess nodded. Despite her problems, she was a decent enough kid.

"Good morning Reid family!" an unwelcomed voice chimed from downstairs. Harleigh groaned and made her way into Cody's room, gently nudging him awake.

"Up and at 'em Cody, the beast returned, might wanna make a break for it," she said softly. She shoved open his bedroom window and slid the ladder into place. "Bus today, Tess is already on her way downstairs."  
"Why's he so mad at me all the time?" Cody asked, pulling on a pair of clean jeans. "I didn't do nothing."  
"He's a mad person," Harleigh said lightly. "Your sister has to head to the Gallagher's after school, you can drop by Kash and Grab if you don't want to come right home."  
"I guess," he sighed. "I hate it here."  
"Me too, kiddo, trust me," she sighed. "Now c'mon, before he remembers we're here."

Harleigh helped him get his legs out the window and watched as he made his way down. Once his feet hit the ground, he took off running towards the bus stop and Harleigh made a mental note to check in with the sibling's social worker that afternoon. She wanted them placed somewhere else. Her house was no place for a pair of broken kids to be.

"Harleigh, my favorite child, what is your plan for today?" her father's voice rang out. "I hope you have my money."  
"I already paid the rent, Monty," she said as she made her way back to her room, throwing on a pair of ripped, stained jeans and yesterday's shirt. She pulled her hair in a messy bun and grabbed her bag. "Electric's paid up for this month too." She added as she pushed past her father, who smelled of booze and pot.

Monty grumbled something under his breath before catching her wrist in his hand.

"Not that money, you stupid bitch," he growled, throwing her against the wall. "Rumor has it you're making the big bucks around here now. I owe Kev a bit for my tab. Guess who's pocket it's coming outta," he seethed.  
"Not a chance, Monty," she growled. "Let. Me. Go."

Monty hated his daughter. He always had. Instead of releasing her arm, he threw her against the wall, his fingers snaking up her shirt.

"You could always pay me another way," he hissed in her ear.

Harleigh tensed. She knew what came next. She was strong, but her father had a hundred pounds on her and he was even more vicious when he was drunk. He grabbed her by her throat and pushed her towards his room. She cried out and tried to fight against his grip, but it was futile.

Twenty minutes later, she found herself nursing a busted lip and a bruised neck as she made her way towards the high school. She grabbed her books from her locker and shuddered. She was late for Chemistry. Again.

"Late as usual, Miss Reid," Mr. Grimly noted as she made her way to the only vacant seat left. It just happened to be next to Phillip Gallagher, or Lip as he went by. They had always been pretty close friends, having grown up together in the same neighborhood and attended the same elementary school. After she came back three years ago, their childhood friendship picked right back up. They had kept in touch the six years she was away. She threw a small nod in his direction before glaring at their teacher again.  
"You know, public transportation and all," she shrugged. The teacher let the matter drop, but kept an eye on her as he handed out the graded tests from the day before.

When he reached her desk, she tensed. He threw down the paper, his stance clearly disappointed.

"Another F Harleigh. I don't even know why you show up anymore," he told her, his tone bitter. "Maybe you _should_ start copying off Mr. Gallagher's tests, maybe then you'll actually get a question right."

"Fuck this," she said, shoving the paper back at him. She grabbed her bag and stormed out the classroom, not caring that he threatened to fail her the entire semester. She was already failing it, all on her own. This was already her second time in junior classes.

She made her way to the old girl's bathroom that was now only used for smoking, sex and skipping class. Thankful it was abandoned, she pulled out a cigarette and hoisted herself onto the ledge. She found herself lost in thought when the door suddenly swung open.

"He's pissed you dipped," Lip said, coming up beside her, a cigarette between his lips. "Spent the whole class making an example out of you."  
"What's new," she shrugged. Lip studied her for a moment, taking in the busted lip and exhausted expression she wore. He had, on a number of occasions, told her she could crash at his house if things got bad with her dad. They had grown up together until she moved away when she was ten. They'd kept in touch, but it wasn't the same, at least not for him. When she came back, she seemed to keep her distance, but he had a feeling that had more to do with her family than her not wanting to be around. They were still close, but she didn't come around nearly as much as she used to. Fiona even liked her, said she was a good influence on him.

"What?" She asked, catching him staring.  
"Monty?" he asked, motioning towards her face.  
"Per usual," she shrugged. "No big deal."  
"He's a piece of shit," Lip scoffed. He pulled a joint out of his bag. After lighting it and taking a hit, he offered it to Harleigh, who didn't hesitate. "Worst part is, he's using those kids to milk the system."  
"Tess has a project with Carl later, right?" Lip asked, giving her a look. She nodded and passed the joint back to him.  
"If it's okay," she shrugged.  
"Of course," Lip nodded. "You know, our couch is open if you need it," he added.  
"Yeah, because I want to go back to that," she sighed. "Couch surfing and all."

Lip didn't know what she was talking about, but Harleigh had spent the better part of last year hoping from one couch to another. That was part of the reason she never showed up at school, her father had kicked her out and told her he'd kill her if she came back. Then, naturally, he came crawling back to her, begging for her help.

The buzz of her phone jerked her from her thoughts. She glanced at the caller ID and groaned. It was her father.

"What do you want?" she growled.  
"Where's your mom staying?" he asked, his tone eager, hungry.  
"Not telling you," she replied.  
"C'mon, the old broad sent you back to me like you were garbage, don't you wanna see me make her pay?" he pleaded.  
"No, Monty, I don't. Mom sent me back because TJ was in jail and someone had to make sure the lights stayed on. Besides, mom doesn't have any money, you know that," she said carefully.  
"Fuck you."

She sighed as he hung up, half tempted to throw her phone at the wall. She knew where her mother was staying, she'd stayed with her a handful of times in recent months. Her mother was just as bad as her father, always strung out and drunk, never really caring about any of her four children, much less her youngest. Harleigh was used to it; she was the black sheep. The only one who tried to keep on the straight and narrow while the others all had records longer than Frank Gallagher's.

"If I send Tess's brother over with her, think Fiona will mind?" she finally asked Lip, who was lost in his own thoughts, watching every move she made. He couldn't help but note how amazing she looked, despite the tired, disheveled look she wore almost every time he saw her. Normally, he'd try to get in her pants and cross her off his sexual conquest bucket list, but there was something different about her. Something he couldn't quite place. Despite nearly a twelve year friendship, they'd never fooled around once. They'd always just been friends.

"Uh, earth to Lip? Where'd you go?" She chided, nudging him with her foot.  
"Huh?" he blinked. He felt heat rise to his cheeks. Harleigh laughed slightly before repeating her question. "No, that'll be fine. He's safe there."  
"Thanks," she nodded, grabbing her bag. "I have to check in on my mom. Mind turning this in to Ms. Tomson? I actually stand a chance at passing her class if I keep up on the essays," she added, referring to their English class. Lip nodded as he took the paper from her. He made a mental note to double check it before he handed it in for her. She could use all the help she could get.

Without another word, Harleigh rushed off, making her way outside, into the cool, autumn breeze. She headed towards the L train, knowing exactly where she would find her mother at such an odd time of day.

* * *

Lip was halfway home from school when the phone that he and the rest of the family shared started vibrating. He recognized Harleigh's number and picked up.

"Hey," he said, confused as to why she was calling. He heard hushed tones in the background.  
"Are you home?" she asked. Her voice sounded strained.  
"Almost, what's up?" he asked, taking a drag from the cigarette he held between his lips.  
"I…I need a favor…" she said, her voice cracking.

Lips thoughts went back to the busted lip she wore that morning.

"What did he do?" he growled, his entire body tensing.  
"It's my mom, Lip," she said. He could hear shaking in her voice. "She's…she's…" she couldn't get the words out. Finally, she continued. "She's dead…"

Lip felt like he got kicked in the gut. Harleigh's mother was no better than his own, but he had met her a handful of times and she was always kind to him and his siblings. She wasn't nearly as awful as Harleigh's father and she at least tried to make her presence known in her kids life. That was more than he could say about Monica. He knew Harleigh had tried to keep a relationship with her mother, that was why she went to New York all those years ago. She wanted to save her.

"Where are you?" Lip asked, his voice cracking.  
"I'm a block from Kash and Grab…I need to find Ian and have him cover my shift," she said. He could tell she was crying. "I can't…" a sob cut her off.  
"I'll come to you. I'll tell Ian. Stay put," Lip instructed. He didn't know why, but in that moment, all he wanted to do was make her feel safe. He never felt protective over people outside of his family, especially not girls he had fantasized about, but something about the fiery red-head made him see her differently. Like family but not family. Something more. He didn't have any close friends, not really anyway, she was the closest he had to that. He knew she needed him and he intended to be there for whatever it was she needed him to be. He swore under his breath as he took off running in the direction of the corner store. He didn't know what he was going to do or say, but he knew he had to do something.

* * *

 **A/N - I've been out of writing for quite some time, and decided to try out a totally new series as my first fic since ending my hiatus Reviews and favorites keep me motivated, so let me know what you think! I promise, as the story grows, more and more will make sense! This is taking place around season 1/2 right now and will gradually build into the later seasons!**


	2. Chapter 2

Lip ran into Ian as he was jogging towards Kash and Grab, his heart thumping in his chest. Lip was by no means out of shape, but considering the amount of cigarettes he smoked, it was no surprise he found running two miles exhausting.

"Hey, Harleigh bailed on her shift, any clue why?" Ian asked while Lip took a moment to catch his breath.  
"She needs you to cover. Family emergency," he wheezed.  
"Is she okay?" Ian practically shouted.  
"Her mom," Lip responded, still breathless. "There's something wrong with her mom."  
"Shit," Ian ran his hand through his hair. "I'll tell Linda."

Lip didn't say anything else, just ran in the direction of where Harleigh said she was. He checked the phone that he was still clutching in his hand, only then realizing that she had told him to meet her in the alley behind the Alibi Room instead. Lip made it to the alley in record time.

He found Harleigh sitting on the steps that led up to the backdoor of the bar. Her knees were curled to her chest, but even from where he was standing, he could see her shaking.

"Hars," he said gently, just enough to let her know he was there. "What the hell happened?"

* * *

" _Mom?" she called as she opened the back door. She knew better than to come through the front, just in case her mom had one of her latest flings staying over. "Mom, you home?"_

 _She glanced around the kitchen, overly aware of how filthy it was. She grimaced. Granted, her father and the boys kept a filthy home too, but not nearly as bad as this. There was rotting food on the counter, a pile of dishes in the sink, and the floor was caked in what looked like several months' worth of dirt. She pulled her sweatshirt closer to her body as she walked into the living room. The TV was on full blast, pills, empty beer bottles, and several used needles riddled the couch and the coffee table. She sighed._

 _She made her way upstairs hesitantly. She didn't know what she was going to find. When she reached the upstairs hallway, she became aware of the puddle of water that seeped from under the bathroom door._

" _Mom?" She called again, this time more frantic. "Mom!"_

 _She tried the bathroom door, but it was locked. She threw her weight against it, over and over, until the door finally gave way._

 _At first she didn't know what she was looking at. The smell of beer and stale cigarette smoke made her gag. Then she saw the blood. So much blood. More blood that she had ever seen in her entire life. There was bloody handprints on the bathtub, blood mixed with the overflowing water from the tub, blood everywhere._

" _Mom," she gasped, sinking down next to the toilet, where her mother was laying, blood pooled around her. "Mom, wake up, c'mon mom!" She slipped in the pool of blood, her hands sliding against the slick, crimson liquid._

 _Then she saw it. There was a knife plunged deeply into her mother's stomach. She skidded back, blood now covering her pants and sweatshirt. "Mom! What did you do?" Tears welled in her eyes as she pulled her phone out of her pocket, her fingers trembling._

" _911, where's your emergency?" the dispatcher asked.  
"There's been a…an accident, my mom…I think she's dead," she sputtered, her voice hitching. "There's so much blood…"_

 _The rest was a haze. The police questioning her, the morgue retrieving the body, the detective asking if she needed them to call anyone. She vaguely remembered telling him she would call someone to pick her up, even though she knew she wouldn't. She couldn't shake the image of her mother's vacant eyes staring up at her, her mouth set in a silent "O"._

Harleigh looked down at the dried blood on her hands, tears still falling from her eyes.

"They said she did it to herself," she whispered, never looking up at Lip. "That she must have gotten a bad batch and lost her shit long enough to fucking stab herself."  
"Holy shit," Lip murmured, coming to sit beside her. "C'mon, let's get you back to my place, I'm sure Fiona has something you can borrow," he added. There was so much blood on her shirt. She shook her head, looking up at him for the first time.  
"I'm not dragging you into my problems," she said sternly. "I have to go home and tell the guys," she added, her voice flat. "Then I have to go to work and make sure I can keep a damn roof over everyone's head."  
"C'mon, let us help you," Lip tried to reason with her. He couldn't stand seeing her like this.  
"Lip, I just need you to keep Tess and Cody at your place as late as possible. Here's 50 bucks to make up for that," she said, handing him a crumpled up bill. "I'll swing by and pick them up once I know my ol' man isn't going to burn the house down."

Lip didn't know what to say. Harleigh started to get up, but seemed to hesitate when Lip reached for her hand. She looked at him with broken, sad eyes.

"I'll be okay," she whispered. "Always am."  
"Ian's covering your shift," Lip deadpanned. He didn't know what else to say. She nodded her head and pulled open the door to the Alibi Room, now doubt to get a drink before she made the half hour walk back to her house.

Lip remained on the steps, staring down at his hands. He'd seen and dealt with a lot of shit in his seventeen years. His father was a drunk, his mother was a deadbeat who had no problem abandoning her six children. He never had to deal with finding one of them dead though. He had no idea what to say or do to make Harleigh know he was there for her. If she had been anyone else, he would have suggested getting drunk, having sex, and getting as high as they could. But Harleigh wasn't anyone else. She was something completely different. She made him think. She made him really, truly think about things. He wasn't sure what to make of that, even as he made his way back to him house to tell Fiona that the two youngest from the Reid household would be staying for a while longer. Even when he tossed the 50 into the squirrel fund, he didn't know what to make of the whole situation. All he knew was that Harleigh wasn't okay, no matter how much she tried to convince him otherwise.

* * *

"Wow, the old cunt finally offed herself?" Jake asked, taking a long drag of the joint the four siblings were sharing. "Monty's gonna flip."  
"Yeah," TJ agreed, snatching what was left of it from his older brother. "How'd you find her anyway? Dad said she split?"  
"I always know where mom is," Harleigh shrugged. She still hadn't gone home. She sent a 911 text to her older brothers and for once in their fucked up lives, they all showed up. "I need to be the one to tell him."  
"Damn straight you do," Skip nodded. "I'm not taking a beating for this one."  
"Thanks, Skippy," Harleigh scoffed. She hated her brothers. They were the golden children, the ones who could do no wrong. Yet they were family, the only family she had. She still cared about them sometimes. They could have been worse. They could have been like the Milkovich boys or any of the other slums who beat the crap out of people just for fun. They were a lot of things, but they were still blood.

"What're you gonna say when you go home?" Jake asked. He genuinely worried about his sister sometimes. Only sometimes. Normally once he was too high to do anything about the abuse his little sister had to take.  
"Gonna tell him she's dead and dip before he can burn the house down," she shrugged. She glanced at the watch on Jake's wrist. It was nearly six. She was supposed to be at the diner by eight, so if she planned to tell Monty about his ex-wife's passing, she had to get home. "I got the kids somewhere safe for the time being," she said as she picked up her bag. She tried to ignore the blood that stained the lime green backpack. "I'll pick them up after work."  
"We're gonna crash wherever tonight. Don't bother lookin' for us. 'Sides, we all know Monty's gonna trash the place," TJ said with a shrug. "Don't come home tonight, if you want to live!"

Harleigh sighed at his remark. She knew he was probably right, but she also knew she didn't have anywhere for the kids to sleep if she didn't sneak them back in later that night. She could only hope the deadbolt on her bedroom door would be enough to keep her father out.

The walk home took longer than usual. Harleigh was physically and emotionally exhausted. She glanced at her phone, taking note of the countless missed calls and texts from Ian, Lip and Fiona. She had several from Tess too, who was asking why Lip wouldn't let her and Cody leave his house. While she loved the Gallagher's, she also knew she couldn't drag them into her drama. She made a mental note to swing by and grab the pair before she headed to the diner. It was a Wednesday, they should be dead after the late night dinner rush anyway.

"Monty?" Harleigh called as she pushed open the front door. The house was quite, too quite. "Monty?"  
"Oh! Lookie who decided to crawl on home!" he sneered from his perch at the top of the stairs. Harleigh could tell by the slurring of his words that he was trashed.  
"We need to talk," she said carefully. He glared at her, descending down the stairs with a wobbly gait. She had hoped to catch him sober for a change, but wasn't overly surprised not to.  
"Less talky, more fucky," he cooed. Harleigh tensed. He grabbed for her arm, but she was a step ahead of him, ducking behind the closet door with ease. She kept her hands holding it in place as she looked her deadbeat, abusive father in the eye.

"It's about mom," she said, her voice solemn.

* * *

 **A/N: The more reviews this gets, the faster I will post chapters! I'm writing them ahead of time, and tweaking as I get further in the series myself! Let me know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

The words spilled out of her mouth before she had a chance to consider her father's response. As soon as she told him that her mother was dead, his fist connected with the side of her head, sending her flying into the end table.

"You stupid little cunt!" he growled as he grabbed hold on her wrist with enough force to hold her down. She cried out, kicking and twisting, trying everything she could to get free. "You told me you had no idea where she was!"  
"Monty, she's dead!" She screamed. A moment later, she yelped as Monty pulled her towards him, his hands now wrapped around her neck. She coughed and clawed, trying to free herself from his calloused hands. He released her only long enough to throw a solid punch to her face. She saw stars as he hauled her to her feet, throwing her against the wall. She landed painfully on her knees, her right wrist twisting at an ugly angle.

"Come back here and I'll kill you, you hear?" he spat. He kicked her hard in the ribs, knocking the air out of her. Her panicked screech caused him to spin around one last time, landing a painful kick to her side once more. As quickly as it started, it was over. She heard the front door slam and let out a shaking, painful breath. She pulled herself to her knees, cradling her wrist in her left hand.

"Fuck," she hissed. She'd taken beatings her entire life, but this time, this time his anger, his threat, actually scared her. She forced herself to her feet, her entire body feeling like it weighed a million pounds. She considered going upstairs to grab a change of clothes but decided against it, the throbbing in her head signaling that she'd never make it back down if she did. She reached into her pocket in search of her phone, only to find it shattered beyond repair. She groaned as she tried to turn it on to no avail. "Son of a bitch," she hissed.

She looked around the now trashed living room, her vision turning dark in the corners. She knew she couldn't stay there. Monty would kill her if he came home to her being there. Besides, she had a shift at the diner at eight and still had to pick up Cody and Tess. She spotted her backpack in the corner of the room and was grateful her father hadn't noticed it when he stormed out. Her uniform was already in it. Even though it was freezing outside, she didn't want to walk around in bloodstained clothes. She changed as quickly as she could, her right hand useless, before pulling her bloody sweatshirt back on. She didn't have the energy to find a clean one.

With one last glance around the room, she heaved her bag onto her shoulder and left. She didn't bother locking the door. They didn't have anything worth stealing anyway.

She started down the street, grateful that she only lived three blocks over from the Gallagher's. The walk took longer than it should have, but she was stumbling nearly every step, each one more painful and draining than the last. She barely made it to their pouch before her knees gave way and darkness almost overtook her vision completely.

She tried to pull herself back to her feet, but her head throbbed worse than anything she'd felt before. Instead, she crawled up onto the lowest step and reached into her bag. She found her lighter and a pack of cigarettes and decided to sit there and smoke until she either worked up enough strength to pull herself up the stairs or someone came outside.

Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long. Ian had worked her shift and Kash and Grab, so after a few minutes, she caught sight of him walking down the street. All it took was him catching sight of the amount of blood that covered her sweatshirt for him to start sprinting towards her.

"The fuck happened?" He asked when he reached her. He dropped to her side, his face riddled with concern. Before Harleigh had a chance to answer, the front door opened. Ian glanced up just as Lip came running down the stairs.  
"Harleigh? Are you okay?" He asked, just as concerned as Ian was.

Harleigh tried to find words, but her mind was a jumbled mess. She vaguely heard Lip order Ian to find V while he shouted for Fiona. She felt strong arms hoist her up, her head now resting against something warm. The warmth made her eyes flutter, her body relaxing for the first time in what felt like an eternity. She heard the steady thup thup of what must have been Lip's heart. That was when she realized her head must have been resting against his chest.

"Harleigh, stay with me, c'mon, wake up," Lip pleaded. "Hars, c'mon," he begged. He'd seen a lot of people fucked up in his lifetime, but in that moment, Harleigh looked so fragile, so broken, it shattered his heart. "Harleigh, c'mon, talk to me."

Harleigh wanted to, god did she want to, but her head hurt far too badly. Every fiber of her body ached. It screamed for something, anything, to end the pain.

"Lip?" a familiar voice called out. "Lip, get her inside, come on."

Movement. Harleigh registered being moved. As soon as he shifted her body so he could pick her up, the world went black, this time for good.

* * *

Lip paced back and forth for what felt like the millionth time, his hands balling into fists then relaxing, then balling up again so many times, his knuckles ached. Veronica had taken one look at Harleigh and ordered them to rush her to the emergency room. They'd been there for well over twelve hours with no solid information about her condition.

"Lip, she's going to be okay," Fiona tried to reason once the nurse told them to go home. He didn't listen. He wouldn't listen until he got to see her himself.

Another hour passed, then another, before finally, a grim looking doctor approached them. Fiona had sent Debbie, Tess, Carl, and Cody home with Veronica and Kev, and Liam was with Sheila, so it was only himself, Ian and her sitting in the waiting room now.

"For Harleigh Reid?" The doctor called out. The trio rushed to him, each wearing the same worried, tired expression. "Follow me," he nodded. They followed him through the double doors, down a long hallway, before finally reaching a single, dimly lit room. "She was asking for you, Fiona," he said softly. "She suffered a concussion, several broken ribs, a fractured wrist and a bit of bruising, but she's going to be fine," he said gently. "We're going to keep her a little longer for observation, but she should be good to go home by this evening. Try not to excite her too much, she's had a long few days."

Fiona didn't know what to say, so instead, she nodded. The doctor smiled thinly to the three of them before walking away, not bothering to tell them to go in one at a time. He knew they wouldn't listen anyway.

"Jesus Christ Harleigh," Fiona gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as she took in the deep, ugly bruises on her friend's face.  
"Hey," she managed to force a small smile. The doctors had her hooked up with a decent dose of morphine, so the pain was bearable at best. "Thanks."  
"For what?" she asked, confused.  
"For not letting me die on your front steps," she chuckled, her voice hoarse.  
"Who did this to you?" Ian demanded, his body tense. He couldn't handle seeing her this way. They were never exceptionally close, but she was still one of his friends. More than that. He considered her family.  
"Monty didn't take the news well," she said, glancing at Lip, unsure if he told them what had happened. Lip muttered a curse under his breath. He'd forgotten that her mother had killed herself. He forgot that she had to be the one to find her.  
"Shit," he murmured, his hand lacing into hers. Her fingers were so cold, _why is she so cold?_ He thought. "They…I didn't tell them."  
"My mom offed herself," she offered with a weak smile. "The blood, that isn't mine. At least most of it isn't," she shrugged towards the bloody sweatshirt that was draped over the chair. "Where're the kids?" She forced herself to sit up, directing her question at Fiona. "I-I'm sorry if you had to put them up."  
"They're safe with V," Fiona said softly. "Don't worry."

The look on Harleigh's face worried Lip. She was pale, despite the deep bruises that riddled her face. Her hair was caked in blood. Her lip was split open, her eyes tired and glossy. Yet, despite how much pain he could tell she was in, she still had that fierce look in her eye.

Fiona convinced Ian to go with her to get a cup of coffee a while later, leaving Lip with her to keep her company. Harleigh was about to ask him to go get her a nurse so she could find out how much longer she had to stay in the hospital, when the social worker she was all too familiar with came into the room cautiously.

"Shit, hi, Tina, what brings you all the way here?" She asked, sitting up way too quickly. Her vision blurred for a moment, her hand lacing back into Lips.  
"I heard about your mother's recent passing, I wanted to check in and see how Tess and Cody were taking the news?" she said softly. Tina was a nice woman. Despite the countless times Harleigh and her siblings ended up carted to one foster home or another, she always tried to keep them close together. Once her brothers aged out, DHS backed off, until her father took in the kids. She started checking in again after the first year.  
"Taking the news?" Harleigh asked, confused. She hadn't even told them yet.  
"Elizabeth was their mother, if you can even call her that anymore, I'm sure they're crushed regardless," she went on, looking at the paperwork in her hand. "Cody was only three months old when she turned them both over the social services, but we were thrilled to locate your father. If I recall correctly, that's why you moved back home, isn't it?"

Harleigh's jaw dropped open, her hand gripping Lip's so tightly, he hissed.

"You're kidding me, right?" Harleigh asked. She looked at Lip with such a comical expression, Lip would have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious. "Cody and Tess are his foster children. I'm the last Reid to age out," she said, her voice steady, though her sweaty palm told Lip she was completely blindsided.

"Elizabeth Johnson is your mother, correct?" Tina asked, giving Harleigh a confused look.  
"Ma'am, Harleigh's had a rough night, she's exhausted, she has a concussion, and they have her on a strong painkiller right now, she hasn't had a chance to share the news with them yet, but she plans to, as soon as she gets home tonight," Lip said quickly, his tone convincing. "Tess and Cody are perfectly fine and Harleigh will gladly set up a visit with you soon."  
"Harleigh, we'll be in touch, alright? I'll leave my card in case you need to reach me later, you take care," Tina nodded, convinced by Lip's bold lie. "What happened anyway?"  
"A girl said the wrong thing," Harleigh lied through her teeth. "You know us Reid's, always causing trouble. I'm good though, I promise." She forced a smile, despite her racing heart. Tina nodded and left after handing her card to Lip.

As soon as she was out of the room, Harleigh cursed. Lip saw the frustration forming on her face.

"I thought they were foster kids?" he asked hesitantly, still trying to wrap his head around what just happened.  
"No, it all makes perfect fucking sense," Harleigh growled. "They both fucking used me. The checks? Mom paid child support. It was cheaper to send my ass back to that fuck up than pay to keep a roof over my head. And I provided him with a free nanny."  
"But are they his?" Lip asked, his brows furrowed.  
"Probably. Those two fucked like rabbits whenever they got together. She probably offed herself to avoid paying him anymore fucking money to actually support us. Of course he'd lie. Having three minors under one roof meant foodstamps came every fucking month and kept welfare off the boys' asses."  
"But Tess is eleven and Cody's eight, wouldn't you have known if your mom was pregnant?" Lip asked. He watched her face as she considered what he said.  
"I'll be eighteen in January, I moved in with my mom the summer after my tenth birthday. Tess's birthday's in March…so she would have been three…" she thought back to the summer she moved in with her mom. "My mom was always gone when I moved back, she made me stay in the basement most of the time…I remember a little girl being around from time to time, mom said she was babysitting for a friend…" she kept thinking. "She was never home…That summer I never really saw her, it wasn't until school started that I got to see her more. Son of a fucking bitch!" She ripped her hand away from Lip, her fingers looping around the IV that was still attached to her injured arm. She ripped it free and forced herself to her feet.

She made her way down the hall to the pay phone and dialed home. Jake picked up after the 10th ring.

"Jake, fall of 2003, when I first started at the school in New York, do you remember when I came home for Thanksgiving?" she asked.  
"Who is this?" Jake slurred.  
"Your goddamned sister!" She growled into the phone.  
"Oh. Harleigh. Hey. Yeah, I remember. Liz dropped you off for a month and told Monty to keep you alive until she came back. Said she had some business to take care of. Why?" he replied. He was way too drunk to really care why she was asking.  
"Needed to know for a school project," Harleigh sighed. "Thanks."  
"School's weird." Jake snorted. "Oh, hey, Hars, you get somewhere safe last night? We saw the living room and nearly dug up the backyard lookin' for your body."  
"Yeah, I'm safe," she scoffed. "Stay safe, Jake," she added, her tone gentle. Jake was a screw up, but he was still her older brother.

After they hung up, Lip helped her back to her room. She sat down slowly on the bed, the morphine nearly completely worn off. She felt how badly each breath hurt to take, how achy her head and neck were, and how much her wrist hurt. She leaned back on the pillow, allowing herself several moments to come to terms with this new bit of information before looking up at Lip, who watched her with troubled eyes.

"My family's a fucking joke," she deadpanned.  
"So's mine, it's okay," he chuckled.  
"Go find a nurse. I'm ready to get the fuck out of this godforsaken place. And I need a damn drink."

Lip laughed softly for her sake, but inside, he was reeling. He knew she was strong, shit she was one of the strongest people who knew, next to Fiona. Yet she only ever really had to look out for herself. He wondered how learning that Tess and Cody were actually her own flesh and blood would change how she looked at life. He considered her options as he made his way over to the nurses station. He wanted to tell her it was okay to run away from the responsibility, but he knew better than anyone that family, that blood, always came first. He would die for his family. He would kill for his family. There wasn't a damn thing he wouldn't do to help Fiona keep the kids together. He knew Harleigh felt the same way. Even when her brothers tossed the blame her way, she always took it, always took the punishments with stride. She always defended them, fought for them, with them, and through them. She was fierce.

Once the nurse started the discharge paperwork, Lip took out the phone he was still carrying in his pocket and called Fiona. She picked up instantly.

"Hey, we have a problem." He said rubbing his free hand over his face.

* * *

 **A/N: The abuse in this chapter is relevant to later chapters, therefore it was crucial to put it in. The family twist also plays a critical role. Let me know what you think! The next couple chapters will have a little less Gallagher action, but they will still be seen in small ways. I know Lip is a little ooc at this point, but that changes as the next few chapters roll out! Reviews keep me motivated!**


	4. Chapter 4

"No work or school for the next five days and you have to take it easy," the nurse droned as Harleigh signed the discharge papers. "Lots of rest and please, don't let me see you in my ER any time soon, you hear?"  
"Yes ma'am," she managed to force a smile. She was leaning heavily on Lip, her side aching fiercely. Every breath felt like fire shooting through her.  
"I mean it Harleigh, you're a good kid, you just have to get that temper of yours under control," she smirked.  
"Thanks again," Harleigh nodded. She was used to this nurse, she'd been under her care a handful of times over the years. "Let's get out of here," she said to Lip, who had his arm wrapped protectively around her back.  
"Kev loaned Fiona the truck, she's outside waiting for us," he informed her. He couldn't help but notice how every step seemed to cause her tremendous pain. "I didn't think taking a cab would help any."  
"Thanks," she nodded. She was exhausted. She still had blood caked to her, both her mother's and her own. She wanted nothing more than a long, hot shower and a nice, warm bed.

As soon as they entered the parking lot, Lip offered her a cigarette. She leaned heavily against the truck once they reached it, her hand trembling. He wanted to hold her tight and never let her go, just to make her feel safe again. He watched silently, taking deep drags of his own cigarette, watching as she scoped the parking lot, almost as if she was expecting her father to show up. Her hair was a mess, her face drawn.

"I never should have gotten you all involved," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry."  
"He almost killed you, I would have been pissed if you _didn't_ come to us," Lip said softly, taking her free hand in his own. "You're family, Hars, get used to it. You weren't in that waiting room. You didn't see how worried Fiona and Ian and everyone else was. For gods sake, Ian went on for hours about how much he would have hated himself if he hadn't come straight home after his shift. You don't get it, do you?" his tone was a lot harsher than he intended. He blinked and dropped Harleigh's hand as she slid away from him, her body rigid. "Fuck, I'm sorry," he whispered. He wanted to punch something. Why the hell did she have to be so goddamned stubborn? "We care about you, Harleigh, we care about the kids. We fucking care."

His words shattered the last bit of strength she was holding onto. Before she even registered what she was doing, she threw herself into his arms, a sob ripping from her chest. Lip held her tight, his cheek pressed firmly to the side of her head, his heart racing in his chest. In all his years of knowing her, he'd never seen her break down like this before.

Fiona called for them from inside the car, so with one arm still protectively holding onto her, Lip opened the door and helped her in before sliding in next to her.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, okay?" Fiona said softly, patting Harleigh's knee. "We'll figure something out."  
"Yeah," Harleigh said softly. She let her head fall onto Lip's shoulder, exhaustion taking over. Lip stared down at her as she drifted to sleep, her face pale and worn, dark circles playing under her eyes. He smiled slightly as her breathing shifted. He was sure this was probably the first time she'd allowed herself to relax in a long time.

"She's not going home tonight," Fiona said sternly, her tone soft so she wouldn't wake up her sleeping friend. "We can figure something out. Maybe Tess and Cody on the couch, see if Carl will sleep in the living room with them so Hars can bunk with you and Ian?"  
"Sure," Lip nodded slightly. He'd already had his mind made up that Harleigh wasn't leaving their house any time soon. He couldn't bear the thought of anything else happening to her. "Hey Fi?"  
"Yeah?" she spared a glance his way before returning her eyes to the road.  
"We need to help her come up with a plan to tell the kids," he said cautiously. He had filled her in when he called her. "And how to get dhs off her ass. I don't think her social worker is going to give them more than a day or two before she shows up again."  
"Tina, right?" when Lip nodded, she continued. "Tina always calls Harleigh before she shows up. Unlike most of the workers out there, she actually gives a fuck about keeping families together."  
"Still," Lip chewed on his lower lip. He didn't like the thought of Harleigh having to take the two younger kids home.

When they pulled up in front of their house, Lip's eyes darted to the three men who were gathered on their front porch with Ian. Ian was standing by the door, his arms crossed across his chest while the other three were passing a cigarette back and forth.

"Hey, Hars, wake up," Lip nudged her slightly. Her eyes flew open, a gasp escaping her lips as she took a moment to register where she was. "Hey, it's okay, you're safe." His tone was gentle.

Harleigh glanced out the window and sighed. She knew she had to face her brothers and she wasn't entirely sure how that would pan out. Lip helped her out of the truck but didn't leave her side. He lit a cigarette, glaring at Harleigh's older brothers.

"Jesus," Skip murmured, jumping off the steps to approach them. Skip and Harleigh had a love-hate relationship, but despite his shortcomings, he was the only one of the three who actually looked out for her from time to time. "Shit, I knew I should have came with you," he murmured, his eyes tracing the bruises on his younger sister's face. "Are you okay?"  
"As okay as I can be," she shrugged. "What do you want?"  
"No need to be rude," he muttered. He glanced at Lip before looking down at his sister again. "Tina called. She said she's going to be stopping by at noon the day after tomorrow," he continued. "The little ones, they were mom's?"  
"Apparently our parents like to keep secrets," she scoffed. Her head was killing her and all she wanted was sleep. "Tina said they're probably Monty's too."  
"Huh, that explains a lot," he nodded. "Me and the boys are going to get the house cleaned up, don't need you getting sent off to a home with your face all cut up. Monty's actually afraid he killed you. Sent us out to make sure you weren't dead in a gutter somewhere. Jake forgot to tell anyone you called earlier. I'll swing by the day of to pick you and the kids up."  
"Okay," she nodded. She wasn't fully paying attention anymore. Skip pressed an envelope into her hand, his eyes locking on Lips.  
"I found this tucked behind your bookself. Figured you'd want it before Monty turned the place upside down looking for anything to use to get a fix. We get through this visit, you use that to find yourself somewhere safe, you understand? You'll be eighteen soon, use the fake ID to sign a lease. A slumlord isn't gonna care as long as you keep your rent paid up. We'll help where we can, but you know, we're not the best brothers in the world," he hissed. "Look after my little sister, okay? You're good for her," he directed his statement to Lip, who was still watching every move, ready to knock someone's lights out should the need arise.

"Stay safe, Leigh," TJ waved from the porch as he and Jake descended down the stairs. "We grabbed clothes for you and the kids too. Ginger took them in."

Harleigh glanced at Ian who tensed at the name. She forced a smile to reassure him that TJ meant no harm.

"Thanks," she nodded. She caught Jake's arm as he went to pass her. "Why are you all suddenly invested in my safety?"  
"We don't want to have to take responsibility for the kids," he shrugged. He was always stupidly honest. "You'll be eighteen soon, then they can be your problem. We just have to keep you safe until then."  
"Gee, thanks bro," she snorted.

"We're gonna tell Monty you're staying with the Milkovich's. Him and Terry had a falling out, so he isn't gonna be showing up over there any time soon, something about owed money and a gun or some shit," Skip said softly. "He won't know you and the kids are here. Like I told uh…whatever Ginger's name is…we don't normally let people help, but you're our kid sister. We want you safe this time."  
"Ian," she said. "His name is Ian."  
"Well Ian saved your life, so that's something," he shrugged. "These people are good people, you're lucky to have them."  
"Hey boys?" she called, all three now looking at her. "There's 500 in the back of the fridge, under the butter and eggs. Throw that to Monty. Let him get his fix. Maybe he'll actually be civil when state shows up."  
"Squirrel fund?" Jake asked, intrigued. They normally hid whatever money they were putting away for bills, since their father couldn't be trusted.  
"What's left of it anyway," she nodded. "It's gonna be a rough winter."  
"Always is," he nodded. "You're a good kid, Leigh, keep your nose clean and you just might make it out of this godforsaken neighborhood."

With that, the brothers all piled into the van and waved their goodbyes. Harleigh sighed, both relieved and frustrated. Sometimes her brothers could come through for her afterall. She glanced at Lip when she felt his hand at the small of her back.

"When did they step up?" he asked her softly.  
"They didn't," she sighed. "They just know that family sticks together. We know the kids are blood, that changes everything."

Lip pondered what she had just said. He was surprised at how well the little meeting had gone, but he also knew that her brothers were all selfish, cruel people. He didn't trust them to really keep Harleigh and the younger two safe. But he also knew if he said as much, Harleigh would get pissed and she didn't need that right now. He nudged her towards the house, overly aware of how badly she was shivering.

"I don't like them," Ian said softly as soon as Harleigh made her way towards the stairs. Lip nodded in agreement but let the matter drop. He went upstairs and pulled out a clean towel and a pair of his sweatpants and a long shirt for Harleigh to change into. She was still wearing her uniform for the diner and he knew she needed something clean. He tossed the items on top of the toilet for her then closed the door, letting her have some privacy.

Downstairs, Cody and Tess were sitting at the kitchen table, sharing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They were talking in hushed tones when Lip leaned against the doorframe. He wanted to usher them to bed, it was well past 10 already, but he knew Harleigh wanted to talk to them first.

He looked up at the ceiling, unsure of what he should do. He knew Harleigh well enough to know that she wasn't going to willingly let him help her. She never did. He could only hope that she'd realize that he and his siblings loved her to death and would do anything to keep her safe.

"She knows," Fiona said softly, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "She's lucky to have you and she knows it."


	5. Chapter 5

"The next time you say you're going to get the house cleaned up, want to actually clean?" Harleigh muttered as she picked up loose beer bottles and dirty laundry as she made her way through the house. "Cody, let me see your phone, I need to call in reinforcements. We've got two hours to get this place cleaned up."  
"Since when do social workers make Saturday visits anyway?" Jake grumbled as Harleigh shoved the laundry basket into his arms.  
"Since we've been in and out of the system for the last twenty years," she sighed. "Besides, she's doing us a favor. If the state takes the kids, it's gonna be hell to get them back."  
"TJ got arrested again," Skip called as the backdoor slammed. "Possession."  
"Nice," Jake high hived his younger brother. "Now what?"  
"Now, I need you to go down to the Alibi and make sure Monty stays there. I told Tina he's working today, even had Lip help score us some paystubs as proof," she said carefully. "He cannot, under any circumstances, come back here until I give the all clear."  
"Got it. What about Skip?" Jake nodded.  
"Skip's going to help me get this place under control," she said, taking the phone from Cody. "Hopefully Lip or Ian can swing by and bring enough manpower to get this table out of here."  
"Shit, you didn't report Monty for what he did to you?" Jake asked, surprised.  
"Southside doesn't snitch," she shrugged. "But if the table's laying there broken and covered in blood, Tina's gonna put two and two together."  
"Good point. You've got this."  
"Any drugs or weapons I need to know about? If so, throw them in the dumpster behind the Alibi on your way, I'll swing by and get them when this is done with," she said softly. She didn't need anything to fuck up this visit.

The boys went in different directions, both gathering odds and ends while Harleigh walked out onto the porch, the cold breeze chilling her to the bone. She dialed Lip, silently praying he'd answer.

"Hey," he picked up after the third ring. "Wondered where you took off to, you were gone before anyone woke up yesterday."  
"Had to get the kids to school and picked up a double at the diner," she said smoothly. She was definitely feeling that double. Her entire body ached.  
"I thought you weren't supposed to go back to work yet?" Lip said, his tone scolding.  
"Bills," she said. "Listen, any way you or Ian are free for like, an hour? Like now?"  
"Sure, we're just sitting here shooting the shit, why? Everything okay?" he said. She could hear him rustling around.  
"I kept the kids with me at the diner last night, didn't want to stir the pot too much, came home to the house looking worse than it did before everything happened. We need manpower to get this place cleaned up and my idiotic brother decided to get himself hauled in, so we're down a man. Dinner's on me?" she explained.  
"Yeah, sure, we'll be there in fifteen," Lip said. "Hey Hars?"  
"Yeah?"  
"It's going to be okay, you know that, right?" he said. His tone was so reassuring, for a moment, she believed him. She said goodbye and ended the call, her mind going in a million different directions.

Just shy of two hours later, the house was as clean as it would get. Ian and Lip slipped out the back just as Tess announced that Tina was there. With a heavy heart and an aching head, Harleigh opened the front door as soon as Tina knocked.

"Well, it's nice to see nothing's changed," Tina remarked as she stepped inside. "However, in light of recent reports, I'm not sure what I can do this time."  
"What do you mean?" Harleigh asked, pulling Cody towards her.  
"It seems Teresa said something at school yesterday, a teacher overheard her telling another student about what your father is capable of?" she asked. "That she's witnessed him…er…well let's leave it as be less than fatherly to you? That he's beaten Cody on a number of occasions recently?"  
"Excuse me?" Harleigh asked, bewildered. "Tess said what exactly?"  
"Harleigh, I have reason to believe you and your younger siblings are in danger here," she said. Harleigh tuned her out after that. She silently nodded as Tina went on to explain that the younger two were going to be placed in a foster home until living conditions improved. She stared blankly ahead as she went on to say that she would be holed up in a group home until things improved or she aged out, whichever happened first.

"Harleigh? Are you listening to me?" she asked.  
"What?" Harleigh felt like her head was going to explode. "I'll…I'll be eighteen in three months…can't…can't I just get emancipated or something?" she felt like she was going to be sick. She let go of Cody, only to find herself sinking to her knees. "Please?"  
"Harleigh, I know your last stay at the home wasn't great, but it takes months to get emancipated, you'll be eighteen before you get the paperwork. It's only three months and if somehow your father manages to win you back before then, well then there's that," Tina said lightly. "Harleigh? Harleigh, you still with us?"

Harleigh was suddenly overly aware of how badly her side ached, how much she wanted to just close her eyes and sleep. She felt like she was drunker than she'd ever been before and felt like she had the worst hangover of her life all at once. Her stomach churned as she processed what the social worker was saying. Suddenly, she felt ice cold, yet sweat beaded down her back. She felt an arm wrap around her. She glanced up only long enough to realize it was Skip.

"Can we uh…have a minute?" he asked. Tina nodded and stepped back. Skip led Harleigh into the bathroom and made her sit down. She didn't fight him as he passed a glass of water into her hand.

"Pull your shit together, little sis, before they think anything else is going on, okay? I'm going to call around, see what we can do about at least springing you lose before January. If I can't come up with something maybe Lip or Ginger can," he said in a hushed tone.  
"Ian," she said, her face going sheet white. "His name is Ian." Suddenly her stomach lurched and she found herself hugging the toilet. Skip cursed and held her hair out of her face, muttering nonsense under his breath.  
"Come on, kid, you're better than this, you know me and Jake will figure something out," he pleaded. He was a piss poor brother and knew it, but seeing his kid sister this messed up really got to him. He might not be the brightest bulb, but he still gave a fuck about his family. "Come up, chin up, we've got this."

After a few more grueling moments, Harleigh finally pulled herself to her feet and walked out of the bathroom, her head high. She passed a piece of paper to Skip before hugging both of her younger siblings tightly.

"We're going to be okay, we always are," she reminded them. With one more look around the living room, the three youngest Reids followed Tina out to her car with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They had all been down this road before. They knew what came next.

* * *

"We need to figure something out," Skip mused as he paced back and forth in the Gallagher's living room for the millionth time. "She's not in good shape, they sent her back to the same damn group home she was in last time," he muttered. "Last time she came back with stitches and more emotional scars that Monty can ever cause."  
"She hasn't called yet?" Ian asked, leaning heavily against the doorframe.  
"No, and that worries the fuck outta me. She always gets her hands on a phone. Always," he replied, running his hands through his shaggy blonde hair. "Last time was only a month, only a goddamned month and then she came back all sorts of fucked up," he wanted to punch something. "She's almost fucking eighteen. This isn't fucking right."  
"Fiona's making calls, she's trying to see if there's any way to either get her transferred somewhere safer or sprung loose or something," Lip said as he joined them in the living room. "Any word yet?"  
"No," Skip kicked the couch. "Tess called though, her and Cody are safe, nice couple I guess," he added. "She's sorry for ratting ol' man out."  
"She should be," Jake muttered. Up until then he had been sitting quietly. "If she hadn't opened her fucking mouth, we wouldn't be in this mess."  
"She's just a kid," Skip and Lip said at the same time. They shared a knowing look. "She's just trying to do what's right, she's not like the rest of us. She remembers the good homes, not the shitty ones."  
"Lucky her," Jake muttered. "I know exactly what Harleigh's going through. They have her locked up like a fucking criminal. They're going to have a great time with that damn bruise on her face. We'll be lucky if she talks to anyone after this."  
"She's got Lip this time though," Skip said slowly, looking at the oldest Gallagher brother. "If anyone can get through to her, it's gonna be him. C'mon, I can't sit here doing nothing. I'm gonna see if we can't get dear ol' dad to sober up long enough to spring his damn kids loose one last time."  
"He wants her dead," Jake muttered. "When you called and I told him, he said he was glad. He was tired of us kids hindering his ability to enjoy the simple things in life. He doesn't want her. He doesn't want any of them. Of us."  
"What the fuck man," Skip slumped. He sank to the floor, trying to wrap his heads around everything. None of it was fair. Then he realized something. "Dude, you're twenty-five."  
"No shit," Jake said, throwing him a confused look.  
"No! Dude, you're twenty-five. You can petition for custody!"  
"Naw, hell man, I can't even keep a job. I'm not signing up for that shit. Cody's eight, I'm not playing daddy-do-gooder for the next ten fucking years," Jake shook his head. "It's three months. Hars is just gonna need to be a big girl and deal." He shook his head again. "I'm done with this shit. This family is too fucked. See ya 'round Skipper, keep outta trouble and maybe you won't end up like TJ."  
"Jake, seriously?" Skip looked up at his older brother, a look of disgust on his face. "That's family."  
"Yeah well, this family's fell apart a long ass time ago. Might as well get used to it." He said. A moment later, Skip heard the door slam shut.

He stared blankly ahead while Ian and Lip exchanged an awkward look. They thought their family was dysfunctional, at least they always knew they had each other's backs.

"You're eighteen, right?" Lip said after a long pause, nudging Skip's foot.  
"Yeah, but I have a record and I'm still on probation," he sighed. "There's no way they'll let me get them out. Trust me, I already thought of that."  
"Shit," Lip rubbed his face. He was worried about Harleigh, the kids too. He knew Harleigh was tough, she was strong and stubborn, but he also knew how much those group homes could mess someone up. He looked at Ian, who was now sitting on the couch, his face masking whatever he was feeling. Lip had a feeling he knew what was going through his brother's mind. They were always worried their family would suffer the same fate.

"Last time she got hooked on crack. Took me a whole three months to get her sober enough to fucking function," Skip muttered. "Didn't help Monty was using her addiction to take advantage of her. The girls home ain't like the boys home," he went on. "They run in like a rundown prison, but they don't give a shit. They give a curfew but they don't make 'em follow it. Half the time the security is helping sneak in drugs in exchange for a good time. " He looked up at Lip with worried eyes. "She ever tell you about the last time she ended up there?"  
"Uh, no, no, we don't talk about that stuff really," he said, running his hands over his face. "She ever tell you why she got into crack?"  
"It took away the pain," he sighed. "Monty's been hurting her since she was old enough to open her mouth. When we were kids, I used to try and keep her safe, but Monty," Lip could see tears welling in Skip's eyes. They'd never really carried a conversation before. Skip, TJ and Jake were all true to the bone hoods. They didn't care about anything. Or at least that's how it always seemed. "Monty's a piece of shit okay? You think Terry's bad? You think he's terrifying? You haven't seen shit till you've seen Monty after a bad trip. He's…He's two hundred pounds of brutal, violent shit. He almost killed me when Harleigh came back. That's why she spent a month in the home at 15. Why she missed all that school. He beat me half the death just for protecting her. Yet somehow he got her and the other two back within a few months. Harleigh never let me help her again after that. Told me it wasn't worth the risk. Said she'd rather take it, he'd go lighter on her because she had something to offer him. But I'm her big brother, damnit, I'm supposed to keep her safe. I'm supposed to make sure she lives long enough to actually do something with her life."

Lip stared at him for a moment, trying to decide what to say or do. Tears rolled down the older Reid's face, his hands gripping at nothing. Lip moved from where he sat and threw an arm around Skip's shoulders. He felt Ian pull them both in for an awkward hug.

"We'll get her back, don't worry," Lip promised. "We'll get her back."

* * *

"Well, well, well, didn't expect to see you back here," a girl about sixteen purred as Harleigh made her way down the row of bunks. "Dear ol' dad did a number on you, didn't he?"  
"Save it, Scottie, I'm not going down that road again," Harleigh muttered. She sank onto the lower bunk, her head swimming.  
"Oh, c'mon, you know I've got exactly what you need to take the edge off the pain," she purred.  
"Not touching crack again," Harleigh murmured.  
"No, honey, something even better," she purred. She placed a tablet on Harleigh's tongue, watching in amusement as her pupils dilated. "Welcome back, Leigh-Leigh. I missed your scrawny ass."

* * *

 **A/N : I've rewritten this chapter a million times, and just couldn't find the flow I wanted. Keep in mind, this is taking place BEFORE Jimmy/Steve, before Karen and Mandy, before Monica appears. I'm trying to drift from the story line a little without destroying the canon bits I want to use! Let me know what you think!**


	6. Chapter 6

Harleigh was sitting on the lower bunk when a woman around twenty-five approached her. She looked at the file in her hands before approaching, almost as if she was afraid to approach the wrong person.

"Reid, you're bunking with Richards from now on," the woman clad in a black pencil skirt and white blouse said with a snide look on her face. Her blonde hair was tied back, her dark brown eyes glaring at her as if she committed some type of crime. "Jameston said she didn't want you below her anymore, something about what happened last time?"

Harleigh thought about the tiny, toothpick slim teenager who used to share the bunk above her. She was a wildcard, always looking to get someone else hauled off to solitary – or the Pit – as they called it. The Pit was a tiny room with no windows, nothing but toilet and a worn out mattress on the floor. Harleigh had spent a week in the Pit the last time she was there, all because Jenna Jameston decided to plant drugs under her mattress when she wasn't there.

"Fine by me," Harleigh shrugged. Richards. Scottie Richards. Somehow she felt as if the known junkie had paid the little broad off to make that arrangement work out.  
"Good. Keep your nose clean this time, Reid. I mean that in the nicest way possible," the woman nodded. "Olivia, in case you're wondering."

Olivia wasn't new to the home, but she wasn't there the last time Harleigh got taken from her home. She was used to the rough and tumble girls that wound up on level 4. The ones with records, the ones with known addictions, the ones society gave up on. When Olivia got there, the guards and employees alike knew very little about the girls. They didn't give a rats ass about their whereabouts or habits. That all changed when she took over two years prior.

"Welcome to level 4. You're expected to sign in and sign out daily. You're expected to attend school if you are enrolled, you are expected to have signed bus passes and signed statements saying you have worked your shift if you hold a job. You are allowed to visit with family on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and only if they are not currently on probation. You will be drug tested at random. Should we find drugs in your system, you will be reprimanded accordingly. Do you understand?" she droned on. "If you miss curfew, you will lose your privileges, this includes access to phones, television, and transportation. If you become involved in criminal activity, you will be transferred to the juvenile holding center where you will await trial. Seeing as you are only months shy of eighteen, I highly suggest you keep yourself out of trouble this time around, Miss Reid. I have your file here and you've already got a record down at the station. It all goes away when you turn eighteen. Now might be a good time to get your act together and think about your future. Before you settle in, we're going to have the doctor take a look at your face and make sure you're clear to be with the normal population. Care to share what happened?"

Harleigh rolled her eyes. She had heard this speech before. More times than she cared to recall. She wasn't afraid of this bitch. She was too uppity to really do anything and pose any kind of threat.

"None of your business," she scoffed. "And I've already been checked out."  
"Tina informed us that you were sick when she picked you up, we just want to ensure you're not communicable is all," she tried to reason gently.  
"Concussion, bruised ribs, bruised everything else, fractured wrist," Harleigh rattled off. "Tina has my medical records, I'm fine."  
"Alright then," Olivia nodded. She scribbled something down in the file she was carrying. "Make yourself comfortable then."  
"When do I get to make a call?" she asked, looking at the woman with blank eyes.  
"You can have one call tonight, then you have to earn them," she sighed. She glanced at the watch on her wrist, a very expensive watch. Too expensive to be wearing in this place.

Harleigh wasted no time. She tossed the blanket and pillow that was provided to her down on the lower bunk before following Olivia down the hallway towards the line of payphones. She dug into her pocket, retrieving a few quarters. She waited until Olivia was dealing with someone else before dialing.

"Hello?" the voice on the other line picked up.  
"Lip?"  
"Harleigh?" she could hear the relief in his voice. "Skip's been pacing all damn afternoon, are you okay?"  
"I might as well be in jail, but sure," she sighed. "Tell Skipper to find that lawyer Monty used last time. I can't stay here again. I'm going to lose it in here."  
"I will, but you have to keep your head down. It's only three months max," Lip said cautiously. Harleigh sounded off. "Are you…did they hurt you?"  
"Lip, I'm a big girl, I'm good. Just tell my low-life brother to figure out a way to get me out of here," she snapped, annoyed. She was so tired of people trying to protect her; his tone irritated her. Her features softened when she remembered that that was just how Lip was. He actually gave a rat's ass about her. "I promise, Lip, I'm fine. Tuesday family can come down, but seeing how my family is full of people on probation, if you or Ian want to come, I'd appreciate it," she added. "I guess I'll see you at school Monday. Low and behold, this place is forcing us fuckups to get an education."  
"You aren't a fuckup," Lip murmured. "Please, promise me you'll be safe?"  
"Always am, Gallagher," she said, smiling into the phone. "Hey, any word from Tess or Cody?"  
"Skip said they're in a decent enough foster home," Lip said. She could hear how tired he sounded.  
"Good, thanks," she said with a sad smile. "Hey Lip?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Take care of yourself for a change. You and Fiona spend so much time taking care of everyone else, I think you guys forget you're only human too. It's Saturday, go out, have fun, unwind and take your mind off everything. Your family isn't as screwed up as mine is, you have nothing to worry about. The state only tears apart the really bad families these days," she said as lightly as she could. She knew that the Gallagher's had all spent quite some time in foster homes over the years. Their parents were no better than her own, but the state lightened up on them once Fiona turned eighteen. Harleigh could only hope that it stayed that way. Those kids didn't deserve the hell the system put them through. Her family on the other hand? Well they didn't even try to keep shit together anymore, so nothing surprised her.

Once she hung up, she nodded towards Olivia who waved her hand, signaling that she was free to return to the room that currently housed thirty-plus girls, ranging from thirteen to seventeen. She patted Scottie's legs as she reached for her bag on the lower bunk.

"Storage closet in twenty," Scottie hissed, looking up from the book in her hands. "I've got you, girly."  
"Low key shit," Harleigh muttered. "Just somethin' to take the edge off these fucking ribs," she added as she lifted her shirt up just enough to show her the deep bruising. "This shit's killing me."  
"Oh, honey, I can make sure you're good and numb for the next couple days," Scottie nodded. She looked over towards the hallway that led to the storage closet. "They don't really piss test us, just so you know."  
"Good to know, but I sort of learned that last time, remember?" Harleigh shrugged.  
"Olivia seems like a hard ass, but she's terrified of us. She almost got shanked her first day, hasn't really tried to do much of anything since. All bark, no bite," Scottie explained. "Just lay low, we got some of south side's finest underage criminals in here this go 'round."  
"No shit," Harleigh chuckled. She laid down on the bunk, not caring about anything but the ache in her side and the constant throbbing of her head. She would have fallen asleep if Scottie hadn't kicked her mattress after twenty minutes passed, signaling that it was time to dip before Olivia did her afternoon rounds.

An hour later, Harleigh was smiling weakly as the pain finally subsided just enough for her to fall asleep.

* * *

 **A/N: I was honestly going to skip this chapter and save it for a flashback later, but decided it was better to share it now. Mind you, as stated before, we're going to stray from Canon for a while. I haven't decided how much of the Karen/Mandy/Lip love triangle I'm going to add in nor how much of the Monica part 1 and 2 I'm going to bother with just yet. Remember, while Harleigh is close to the Gallagher's, she also has a life outside of them which we will be seeing in the coming chapters!**

 **I promise though, we don't miss out on everything ;)**


	7. Chapter 7

"Miss Reid, it's a shame really," Olivia sighed, looking over the documents in front of her. "I had high hopes for you. However, your drug test came back positive for opioids, ones which were never prescribed to you, as I'm reading your medical file as we speak. I warned you that there would be punishments for failed drug tests."  
"With all due respect, I had a prescription for hydrocodone," Harleigh reasoned. She really did, she just never had it filled.  
"Yes, but you tested positive for very high amounts of Oxycodone and Adderall, along with sedatives, did you really think we wouldn't suspect something was wrong when you slept for 36 hours straight?" Olivia scolded. "Harleigh, I understand that you are in pain, but I offered to have you evaluated, you declined. Now, you're risking jail time for recreational use of narcotics," she continued.  
"Or, you could be like every other person who's ever worked here and just brush me off as another fucked up kid who's just going to die a young death on the streets somewhere?" Harleigh scoffed. "Seriously, Olivia, I know you mean well, but my life sucks, okay? My kid sister fucked everything up and let's face it, my father signed away his rights, all of my brothers have records and in three months I age out. Just let this go."  
"I can't do that, Harleigh, and you know it. However, I'm willing to fight to keep you out of jail, under one condition," she said with a sigh.  
"What?" Harleigh cocked an eyebrow. She wasn't used to people in that shithole caring.  
"You attend NA meetings twice a week until you age out and you pass your classes," she said softly. "I know you're struggling with your second time through Junior year and quite frankly, if you don't pass this time, I don't see you getting a third chance. If you pull your grades up while you're here and you attend meetings, I won't turn you in for drug use."  
"You're kidding, right? I'm not an addict!" Harleigh growled. "I'm in fucking pain!"  
"And your pain will be managed. I've spoken with your doctor and had your prescription filled. We will monitor your medication and in return, you comply with the restrictions I have given you, understood?" Olivia gave her a look that could only be described as one a real mother would give. "I have faith in you, Miss Reid, don't let me down. Now there's a cab waiting to take you to school, I expect you to get this slip signed by all of your teachers as well as your boss today."  
"Fine," Harleigh nodded.  
"First NA meeting is tomorrow, after visitations," she added as she nodded towards the door. Harleigh didn't say anything, just grabbed her backpack and made a beeline for the street. Once outside, she glared at the cab driver, who was giving her a frustrated look.

"You can smoke," he motioned for her to get in. "Don't worry."

She nodded her thanks and lit a cigarette before sliding into the backseat of the cab. She sat silently as they made the hour drive to the high school. Once there, she made her way to her Chemistry class as quickly as she could. She was already late, but she was certain Olivia had already informed the school that she would be. Mr. Grimly didn't say anything as she handed him the slip of paper before sliding into her seat next to Lip.

"You look like shit," he hissed as he passed her his notebook so she could catch up. His handwriting was never all that neat, but that day she couldn't even focus on the words in front of her. She let her head rest on her hand as she tried to make sense of what was written in front of her.

"You busy after school?" she asked him, giving him a hopeful look.  
"Unfortunately, yeah," Lip sighed. "I'm tutoring Karen Jackson," he added.  
"Cool, I guess," Harleigh nodded.  
"Why? What's up?" Lip asked. He could always cancel if he had to.  
"Nothing, forget it," Harleigh said quickly. The bell rang before she could finish. "I'll catch you at lunch?"  
"Yeah, okay," Lip nodded. He studied her face for a moment. She was paler than usual, her hair messy, her features tense. He wanted to ask if she was okay, but he was too wrapped up in his own problems to really focus on her.

Harleigh wanted to ask if he was going to come for visitation Tuesday, but she decided against it. She could feel the tension between them and it bothered her. They'd always been close, always been able to work through whatever issues they had, but in that moment, she felt completely rejected and alone.

She grabbed her books, letting him have his notebook back before making her way to her next class. She wanted to bolt, but she felt like if she didn't follow what Olivia told her to do, she'd end up in jail and that was the last place she wanted to spend the next three months. With a heavy heart, she went from one class to the next, barely paying attention to anything that was being taught.

When lunch rolled around, Harleigh was too exhausted to even try to find Lip in the crowd to teenagers talking and fooling around. Instead, she walked outside and let the cool fall air ease some of the pain from her aching bones.

"Hey, Lip's looking for you," a familiar voice broke her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Ian coming over to her. "You look like shit."  
"Thanks," she muttered. "Yeah, didn't feel like being social today I guess."  
"You okay? Skip's worried about you, but he kind of took off last night, not entirely sure where he went," Ian said, coming to sit beside her.  
"Yeah, I'm good," she nodded. "Just tired."  
"You've got this, you know that, right?" Ian said softly, brushing his hand against hers. "You're going to be okay."  
"I know," Harleigh nodded, swallowing the tears that were threatening to fall. "Tell everyone I love them and thank you."

She stood up before Ian could say anything else and headed in the general direction of the diner. She knew she'd catch shit for cutting class, but she needed a distraction, something to keep her mind from racing and to keep the itch at bay. She knew her boss, Richard, would let her work early. He always needed people for the afternoon rush anyway.

She made it to the diner by 1, but was surprised to see Richard giving her a grim look when she went to punch in.

"Harleigh, your case worker was here about five minutes ago looking for you," he said softly. "I can't let you work if you're skipping school."  
"I'm only missing Economics and Trig, I'm flunking them anyway," she said with a shrug. "I needed to get out of there."  
"Harleigh, you're one of my best waitresses, and you know I think of you as one of my own children, but unfortunately, I think I have to suggest you take the next three months off. If you choose to come back after you're eighteen, your job will be here for you," he said, trying his best not to sound too disappointed.

Harleigh stared at him, her mouth gapped. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I've worked for you since I was sixteen! I've worked every single holiday, every weekend. I've come in every single time you needed a shift covered. I've raked in more tips than your entire team combined! You're going to cut me loose when I need you most?" She cried, tears welling in her eyes. "I need this job, Richard! It's the only thing keeping me sane!"  
"Harleigh, I am so, so sorry," he said softly. He handed her an envelope, his face grim. "Think of it as an extended vacation."  
"Fuck you," she growled, snatching the envelope from his hands. She stormed out of the diner before the tears could fall from her eyes.

She ran down the block, her heart in her throat. Without her job, she'd never be able to afford her own place when she was finally out of the system once and for all. Her hands shook as she looked around, trying to figure out what to do now. She wanted to kill Olivia for ruining the only good thing in her life. Her side ached horribly as she took off running towards the Alibi. Her head throbbed with every step. She didn't care. She needed to go numb and fast.


	8. Chapter 8

"What do you mean you fired her?" Skip growled, glaring at the older man in front of him. "She's your best waitress!"  
"I know that, Skipper, but she has to get her life in order," he said cautiously. He glanced at Lip who was leaning against the counter, a troubled look in his eye. "I told her two months ago that as soon as she turned eighteen, she could have her job back."  
"Yeah well, no one's seen her since then!" Skip hissed. "She took off after she left here."  
"She headed towards that bar in your neighborhood, the Alibi, I had Scottie follow her. She went in and he left, figured she was going to get drunk and crawl back to the group home," he said softly. "She was upset, sure, but she didn't seem like she was going to take off."

Richard had tears in his eyes as he studied Skip. He was never fond of Harleigh's brothers, the older ones anyway. They were always in some sort of trouble. But in that moment, he could tell just how much the youngest of the three cared about his sister.

"Have you tried any of the halfway houses?"

"We've tried everywhere," Lip said softly. "She disappeared, like she was never here."  
"She'll show up, she's like her mother, she never stays away for too long," Richard sighed. "Remember, she took off last time too, your old man was convinced she was dead in the alley somewhere," he reminded Skip. He'd known the family for longer than he cared to admit. All of the Reid's who were of working age worked for him at one point or another. Their mother included.

"Last time we could at least track her," Skip said coldly. "She ditched her phone after she left the bar. Lip's brother found it the next morning."  
"She's a smart girl, she's somewhere safe, laying low. She'll be eighteen right after the new year, I'm willing to put money on her showing up bright and early on her birthday," Richard tried to remain positive.  
"She's an ex crackhead, Richard. She's an adrenalin junkie. She longs for the high of fucking shit up," Skip growled. "If she's chasing a high, she's as good as dead."  
"Why did you wait so long to come here?" Richard asked. He found it strange that if Skip was so concerned, why he waited so long to come to her most recent place of employment.

Skip thought back to the last two months. TJ had been hauled in on assault charges which definitely caused a lot of problems for Skip, who TJ tried to frame the assault on. He'd spent thirty days on house arrest, just that morning finally being allowed to leave the house. Their father decided to go on a bender and the mortgage on house went into default, meaning in just over a month the house was going to be foreclosed on. To make matters worse, Tess was sent to Juvie for breaking a girl's arm and Cody was being adopted by the foster family they were staying with.

Skip sighed and sat down, running his hands through his hair.

"Harleigh's wellbeing took a backburner for a while," Skip admitted. "We're all had a lot of shit on our minds."

Richard nodded and studied Lip, who looked distracted. He wondered if the boy was one of Harleigh's many flings. He'd seen him around quite a bit recently, but never bothered to ask why he suddenly seemed to hang out at the ran down diner.

"She'll turn up, she's fine, boys, I promise," Richard said as lightly as he could. He wasn't so sure.

* * *

"Damn, Chase, this one's feisty, huh?" a man in his mid-twenties commented as Harleigh gave him the best lap dance of his life. Her thin frame seemed to mold into his body as she rode his dick, her vacant eyes reminding him of so many other girls he'd banged in the past. "What's her name again?"

"Leigha," the man, Chase, remarked. "She's a diamond in the rough, that one."  
"You like that, baby?" Harleigh purred, her hands brushing the older man's chest. "For a buck fifty, we could turn this into the whole nine yards," she hissed in his ear.  
"Mmm," the man moaned in response as she grinded against him, her tiny body sending quivers down his spine. He placed a tablet on her tongue before nodding his approval. "I like this one, Chase," he added as he slipped two bills into the man's hand. Chase smirked as Harleigh ushered him off through the curtains, her hips swaying to the beat of the music.

* * *

"What about the house you grew up in? You know, the run down dump at the very edge of our neighborhood?" Mickey suggested. Skip had used Ian's whatever it was they had, to get Mickey to try and come up with a possible plan. Skip couldn't help but be increasingly worried the closer it got to the end of the year. "Tony said the last time he saw her was when she was buying from one of the lowlife's in the alley over there," he added. Skip nodded slowly.  
"Makes sense. We were in that house right up till she was ten and moved in with Liz, Tony sure he was her?" he asked, pacing. Mickey wasn't the most reliable source but he knew his sister had done him a few times to blow off steam and piss off one of her ex's, so he figured if nothing else, maybe she said something to him at some point.  
"Her hair's not as red anymore, but sure," Mickey shrugged, taking a swig of the beer in his hand. "She's still wearing his brother's hoodie," he motioned to Ian. "The grey one with the hole in the arm."  
"I know which one," Ian nodded. "He loaned it to her a while ago."  
"I'll have the boys keep an eye out for you," Mickey shrugged.  
"Yeah, okay," Skip murmured. He glanced at Ian. "Need a ride back to your place?"  
"Naw, I'll walk," Ian said with a small smirk. Skip nodded and headed towards the door.  
"If you see her, tell her to call someone, okay? We're worried," Skip added over his shoulder.

He slid into the car he had borrowed from the chick be was banging, his heart in his chest. Their childhood home was a slum to put it lightly. The bank foreclosed on it years ago and it was in shambles last he knew. He hoped and prayed his sister hadn't gone back there, but in the same, he also wanted to pull up in front of the old run down three bedroom house and see his sister sitting on the front steps, healthy and very much alive.

Her absence was weighing heavy on him. He blamed himself for not fighting for her more when she was a kid. She was a good person, a great friend and a true to the bone South Side fuck up. She knew how to survive, even if it meant doing things the hard way. He just hoped he wasn't too late to save her this time.

* * *

"I don't like it here," Cody moaned as he looked at the man who insisted on calling himself his father. "I just want to go home and be with my family!"  
"We are your family, son, you're safe here, you don't need to worry about a thing," the man said softly. "We'll keep you safe, we promise."  
"What about my sisters? I miss Harleigh and Tess!" Cody's eyes welled with tears. "I don't want you to adopt me! I want to go home!"  
"Oh, honey," the woman who was rubbing his head murmured. "This is your home now. You'll see, we'll do a whole bunch of fun things. You'll go to a great school and make lots of friends and we'll go on vacations and trips and have all sorts of grand adventures!"  
"I don't want vacations or friends or adventures!" Cody cried. "I just want to go home!"

The couple exchanged troubled looks. Ever since Tess was arrested for assaulting that poor girl, Cody was rebelling and begging to return home. It broke their hearts to admit it, but they hadn't realized he was such a troubled child when they signed the paperwork to adopt him. Nothing was finalized yet and in that moment, they wondered if maybe they were making a mistake afterall.

* * *

"Man, she's fucking crazy!" the man cried as he rubbed his bloody lip, his eyes wild. "Fucking cunt nearly took my dick off!"  
"What the fuck did you do?" Chase growled, pressing the man into the wall.  
"Nothing man, just a little rough," he moaned. "Didn't mean nothing by it!"

Chase grabbed the man by his shirt and threw him out through the door before turning towards the room Harleigh was still in. He pushed the curtains aside, his eyes widening at the sight before him.

"Shit, Leigha," he murmured as he knelt next to her. "Fucking shit."


	9. Chapter 9

Harleigh sat on the windowsill, a cigarette in one hand, a blood covered cloth in the other. Her lip was split open, both eyes blackened. Her neck was riddled with bruises, her bare chest red and raw. She didn't even flinch as Chase pressed a cloth to the bleeding scratches on her chest. She stared vacantly out into the darkness, her eyes tracing the building in front of her.

"It's almost Christmas," she noted as she watched snowflakes fall from the sky. "I think I need to go home."  
"Home as in Chicago or home as in your apartment?" Chase asked hesitantly. He had helped Harleigh get her apartment when she first moved to Minnesota, he helped her score enough cash to keep up on her rent, even though most nights she stayed with him. She was one of her best 'bunnies' as he referred to his girls. She was more than just an easy escort, she was beautiful and fierce and didn't mind going down and getting dirty if it meant a good payout. She was obedient when she was high and good company when she wasn't. If he was being honest with himself, he was actually falling in love with the fiery red head with the Chicago spark.  
"Home as in Chicago," she said with a sad smile. "My baby brother reached out yesterday, begged me to keep the family from adopting him. I pulled some strings and they'll let me take him home for Christmas as long as I bring him back on the 27th," she said softly. "They live an hour south of here, I could pick him up on my way home."  
"How'd you pull that one off? I thought you moved here to get away from Chicago and the child protective services?" he asked, pressing another cloth to her face. She winced.  
"I turn eighteen in two weeks," she shrugged. "After that I'm no use to the system anyway. It's the holidays, they aren't going to do anything about me now."  
"You're sure?" he asked. He never kept any of his girls against their will. If they wanted to leave, they were free to leave.  
"I have some unfinished business back home," she nodded. "I'll be back after Christmas to either get back to work or pack up, I haven't decided yet."  
"Think you'll come back for good?" he asked her, his fingers tracing the bones in her cheek.  
"I don't know," she said truthfully. "I miss my family, but it's not like any of them give a rat's ass about me, we'll see how Christmas goes and go from there I guess."  
"I'll miss you, Leigha," he murmured. He kissed the top of her head. "When are you leaving?"  
"As soon as I cake enough makeup on to not scare my brother's foster folks," she chuckled. "Mind if I take the car? I'll bring it back when I drop Cody off."  
"Sure, yeah," he nodded, handing her the keys. "I've got a couple more clients lined up for tonight, the other bunnies need to pull their weight, holiday or not," he added. "I'll see you around, Leigha, don't total my car."  
"Hunk of junk just better make it to Chicago," she chuckled. "Goodbye, Chase, thanks again for everything."

She waved as he left the room, giving her some space to get cleaned up. She grabbed her bag and quickly covered the worse of the bruises. She knew as long as she wore sunglasses when she picked Cody up, she'd be fine. After changing into something more appropriate, she left through the back door, not needing to catch the attention of any of the various men Chase was entertaining in the living room. She slipped into the car and smiled as it purred to life. She had helped fix it up when she first met Chase, her father's mechanic skills coming in handy.

She knew she'd have to wait until morning to pick up Cody, but she didn't care. She'd make it home in time for Christmas, one way or another.

* * *

"She's not going to miss Christmas," Skip said as he tossed a load of wet clothes into the drier. The Gallagher's had been letting him stay there on and off since Harleigh disappeared. His house didn't have electricity or water anymore and he couldn't afford to find a place of his own. "Christmas is her thing, she loves this stupid, commercial holiday."  
"No one's heard from her in months, Skipper, she's gone," Frank muttered from the table. "Give it up already."  
"Frank," Lip growled, throwing him a glare.  
"If she doesn't come home tomorrow, I'll believe that," Skip said softly. He looked up with wounded eyes. "But I know my sister. She wouldn't miss Christmas. When we were kids, shit she couldn't have bene more than seven or eight, she stole Monty's stash and sold it so she had money to get me and the guys gifts. She even stole a Christmas tree, just to make sure it felt like a real Christmas. She spent all night cooking just so we could celebrate the right way," he said, his eyes glossing over. "Harleigh always said that as long as there was family, she'd always come home for Christmas. She's never missed a Christmas with us, not even when she was staying with Liz in New York."  
"She's a junkie run-away, kid, get over it," Frank grumbled.  
"She's not a junkie," Skip growled, his hands balling into fists.  
"Tell that to the guy who sold her some dope a few weeks back," he snorted. "Saw her myself."  
"You saw her?" Lip growled, rising to his feet. "You saw her and didn't think to tell anyone?"  
"What? Tell you what exactly? That I saw her on a corner looking like Monica did when she was young and strung out?" he growled, his eyes set on Lip's clutched fists.  
"I knew she'd start using again," Skip nodded hesitantly. "At least I know that as of a few weeks ago, she was alive."  
"What the fuck man, you're just going to accept that like it isn't anything?" Lip growled.  
"Harleigh'll be home, you'll see," he said, his eyes staring vacantly ahead. His hands shook. He needed air. In that moment, the kitchen felt incredibly small, the walls seeming to close in around him. He felt trapped, like a bear waiting to break free of its cage.

Without another word, he bolted. He ran out of the back door, ignoring Lip as he called after him. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he knew he had to do something.

* * *

"How much farther?" Cody asked for the millionth time. They'd been on the road for six hours, only stopping long enough to get gas. The icy roads were slowing them down. Harleigh looked at the GPS on the phone next to her and sighed.  
"Four, maybe five hours," she said, glancing back at her younger brother. "We should make it there right before midnight."  
"Okay," he nodded. "Hey, what happened to your face?"  
"It's a long story," she chuckled. "So, are you excited for Christmas?"  
"Not really," he said softly. "Not like we're going to do any of the stuff normal families do."  
"Hey now, don't be a Debbie downer back there!" Harleigh scolded. "I'll have you know that we will definitely have a normal Christmas! I even have a tree!"  
"Really?" Cody's eyes lit up. Harleigh had done a little shopping before picking Cody up late that morning. She had a little something for all of her brothers as well as the Gallagher's. She felt like she owed them for everything they did for her before the state split up her family for what felt like the millionth time.  
"Of course!" Harleigh laughed. "Don't you know, Christmas is my favorite holiday!"  
"Mine too," Cody smiled. He glanced at her arm, noticing the track lines that ran up her veins. "What're those?"  
"Nothing," she said, her tone tensing. "Nothing you need to worry about."  
"Are you sure you're okay? Why were you in Minnesota anyway?" he asked.  
"I'm fine, buddy," she said with a smile. "When you told me your foster folks moved you eight hours away, I jumped on the closest train and followed after you. You didn't think I'd let them take you away from all of your family, did you?"  
"TJ and Jake are in jail," he blurted out. "So's Monty."  
"I figured," she nodded slowly. "They're always in and out. Have you heard from Tess lately?"  
"No, the Smith's won't let me see her, said she was nothing but trouble, that's why they moved," he said slowly, his eyes tearing over. "They said you didn't want me either."  
"Well they lied to you," Harleigh said, her tone grim. "I'll always fight for you, you hear me? As soon as I turn eighteen, I'm going to fight tooth and nail to get you back."  
"You promise?"  
"On everything I love," she said, reaching back to grip his knee.  
"Skip's been trying to find you, said he was real scared something bad happened to you," Cody said softly. "I didn't tell him that I knew where you were."  
"Good kid," she smiled. "Skip means well but he would have made it a bigger deal than it has to be," she added.  
"He said Lip and Fiona and Ian are worried too. Said Lip's been looking for you ever day since you disappeared," he added. "Are you and Lip a thing?"  
"Naw," Harleigh laughed. "Lip's a great friend, but he's tapped more girls than I dare to count, I'm not into fucking my friends."

For a moment, Harleigh forgot that Cody was only ten. Then again, at ten, he'd seen and done more than most kids have in their entire lives. It felt good to talk to family for a change. His news made her wonder how her sudden reappearance would play out, however. She wasn't sure if they'd be welcomed or not.

* * *

"That's weird," Lip murmured as he stared down at his phone.  
"What is?" Ian asked, throwing him a confused look.  
"I just got a text from an unknown number, it says 'Thanks for always having my back, see you soon'," he read.  
"Harleigh?" Ian asked, getting up to sit besides Lip. Lip tried to call the number but it instantly went to voicemail.  
"Maybe," he mused. He leaned back, letting himself get his hopes up, even though he knew he shouldn't. He knew exactly where Skip had been coming from earlier, after all this time, it made him think back to how it was with Monica growing up. You'd hope and hope and eventually, you'd give up. But Harleigh wasn't Monica, no matter what Frank or anyone said. Harleigh wasn't just some junkie on the street. Harleigh was special. He knew she'd come home.

Harleigh pulled up in front of the Gallagher's house, her hands trembling as she helped Cody out of the backseat. The sidewalk was icy, but the sight of the house filled her heart with warmth. She wrapped an arm around Cody's shoulders before making her way up the front steps.

After a moment of hesitation, she knocked. A few moments later, she was greeted by the welcomed sight of a dear friend.

"Hey stranger," she said brightly as she threw her arms around Lip's neck, burying her face into his collar. "I've missed you so much!"

Lip couldn't believe his eyes. Harleigh looked like shit, but she was still her fiery, red-headed self. Her eyes twinkled as she embraced him. He felt the bones in her arms as he wrapped his own around her, not sure what to say.

"Merry Christmas," she whispered into his ear. For a single moment, time seemed to stand still, as a spark flew through the pair like never before. Lip pulled back only slightly, his fingers tracing the bruises on her face. She didn't flinch, instead, she flashed the same smile she always did, the smile that made his heart skip in his chest, the smile that seemed to wash away his worries for just a moment.

Without thinking, Lip grabbed her face in both hands and pulled her close, his lips tenderly meeting hers for the first time. Harleigh felt her body relax, her lips following his lead, her hands pulling him close, his warmth reminding her of why she came back.

A cough from behind them reminded them that they weren't alone.

"It's cold," Cody said softly, rubbing his hands together.  
"C'mon, come inside," Lip ushered, his hand lacing into Harleigh's. "Good to have you home."

* * *

 **A/N: So I've decided to cut Karen out of the story, for all intents and purposes. She's still there from time to time, but not as serious as she was in the actual show. Instead, we get to see a different side of things coming up. I noticed that Shameless never did a Christmas episode in earlier seasons (if at all, I'm just now reaching season 7!), so I figured this was a perfect scene to play around with!**

 **Reviews make me happy and motivate me to keep going, so keep them coming! I'm not entirely sure how long I'm going to keep this story going, since I'm changing so much of the canon right now, but we'll see!**


	10. Chapter 10

"Isn't it too late to wake the whole house up?" Cody asked as he helped drag the boxed Christmas tree through the front door. "Won't Fiona be mad?"  
"Naw, it's Christmas Eve, I think we can get a pass," Harleigh said softly as she pushed the bags that held random ornaments towards the wall. "Besides, Liam and Carl sleep like rocks. Worst comes worst, we only wake up Fiona and Debs," she added. Ian was helping Lip carry the bags of presents into the kitchen. Harleigh had paid to have them wrapped and labeled already, but she didn't want them getting in the way while they set up the tree.

After rearranging the living room, the four of them got to work setting up the tree. Harleigh fiddled with the radio until she found a station playing Christmas Carols and turned up the volume just loud enough to radiate off the walls of the living room.

 _I just want you for my own_ _,_ _More than you could ever know_ _,_ _Make my wish come true_ _,_ _All I want for Christmas_ _,_ _Is you_ _._

"Cody, Ian, get those lights on the tree, I'll be right back," Harleigh said a while later, admiring the progress they had made on the tree. "We forgot something in the car."  
"I can get it?" Cody offered. He was tired of running around in circles around the tree.  
"We're almost done," Ian said with a sly smile as he twisted the lights around another branch.

Harleigh motioned for Lip to follow her as she grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch and wrapped it around her thin frame. Lip slid on his coat before following her to the car. She opened the back door and slid in, rubbing her hands together against the icy air.

"I figured we should probably talk before everyone wakes up," she said softly, once he closed the door behind him. "Cody told me you guys were looking for me…" her voice hitched in her throat.  
"You disappeared," Lip said gently, his hand falling to her knee. "We were worried about you."  
"I should have called…I'm sorry," she looked up at him with teary eyes. Lip studied her face. She looked exhausted and scared, but there was something else in her eyes too. Something he couldn't quite place.  
"I'm just glad you're back now," he said softly, lifting his fingers to trace her face. "I missed you."

Without thinking, Lip leaned in, his lips brushing hers, his heart racing in his chest. He had never felt this way about anyone before. The way her body seemed to mold into his perfectly, her hands gripping his hair without hesitation. Before either of them could think, they were taking their shirts off, their hands exploring each other's bodies with gentle, caring strokes.

Lip ignored the scratches on Harleigh's chest. He knew she'd tell him if she wanted to. Instead, their bodies pressed together, seeking one another's warmth.

Entangled in the backseat with only the thin blanket covering them, their bodies connected in ways neither of them had ever imagined they would. Lip's warmth made Harleigh feel alive again. For Lip, it was the first time he truly felt anything during sex. He felt warm and at peace with the world, something he'd never felt before.

After several minutes, they were both trembling, smiles playing on their lips as they stared into each other's eyes. Harleigh's eyes traced every inch of Lip's face before lingering on his blue eyes. Eyes that always seemed to uncover anything she was trying to hide. She kissed him passionately, a soft moan coming from her lips as she pulled herself closer to him, letting herself feel completely safe for the first time in her entire life.

Time seemed to stand still. It wasn't until there was a soft tap at the window that they broke apart long enough to see Fiona standing beside the car, her arms crossed in front of her.

"Merry Christmas," she mouthed as she turned to go back inside, shaking her head silently. Harleigh and Lip looked at each other before crumbling with laughter. Neither had imagined they'd be spending Christmas morning in the backseat of a car, naked and overly aware of the cold.

* * *

"I don't understand," Harleigh said slowly, late into Christmas morning. "You found him where?" She was on the phone with Richard, her former boss. He had called Fiona to tell her about what he found that morning. She had handed Harleigh the phone after just a few words.  
"I am so, so sorry Harleigh," he said, his voice breaking. "I found him behind the dumpsters this morning. The police have been here all morning. I…I'm sorry."  
"Thanks for letting us know, Rich," she said, trying to bite back the tears that were forming in her eyes.

Harleigh hung up and stared at the concerned faces looking back at her. The entire family had stopped what they were doing to listen in on the conversation. Harleigh fought to find words, but she couldn't speak. Instead, she handed the phone back to Fiona, grabbed her coat, and walked out the backdoor, not caring that the icy wind froze her the moment she stepped outside. She sat down on the step, her hands trembling as she dug a cigarette out of her pocket. A few moment later, she felt someone wrap a blanket around her shoulders. She looked up to find Lip standing there, his eyes tracing her face, looking for answers.

"Rich found Skip this morning," she said, tears falling from her eyes. "He…He's…" Harleigh couldn't say it out loud. She couldn't fathom the thought. Not on Christmas, not on the one holiday he knew she'd come home for. How could he do this to her? Do this to himself? He wasn't that type of person. He wasn't one to give up. It didn't make any sense.  
"What happened?" Lip asked gently, sitting beside her, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.  
"Skip's d-dead," she whispered. She took a deep breath, steeling herself, pulling herself back together for the millionth time. Lip gripped her hand tightly in his, not sure what to say. Harleigh looked at him before nodding slowly. "He doesn't get to ruin today," she whispered. Lip could see how much the news broke her heart, but he also saw the spark of resilience in her eyes. "He doesn't get to take today away from me, from any of us. Not from me, not from you, not from those kids. He doesn't get to ruin today. We'll tell Cody tomorrow. Today, we're going to celebrate Christmas and pretend the rest of this fucked up world doesn't exist."  
"Okay," Lip nodded. He didn't know where she got her strength from. He couldn't imagine what was going through her mind. He felt himself torn between questioning if she was using again or if this was just how she coped with life. He didn't want to upset her more, but he also didn't want to find her coked up somewhere after everyone went to bed. So he asked anyway. "Are you…uh…using again?"  
"Define using," she said, throwing a small smile in his direction so he knew she wasn't mad.  
"Frank said he saw you a couple weeks ago…" he didn't want to impose, but he was worried about her.  
"I was buying for someone else," she explained. "Needles aren't my thing," she shrugged. "Ecstasy, sure, crack? Sometimes, but only when I'm working," she continued. "I promise, Phillip," she stared deeply into his eyes. "I have my shit under control. I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a damn junkie."

She stood up, brushing the snow from her legs before offering him her hand. "C'mon, we've got presents and food and family waiting. Today, the world stands still."

Lip took her hand, amazed by her strength and determination. She wasn't like the other girls. She was fiery and fierce and so many things he couldn't put into words. Once they were both standing, he wrapped his arm around her, finding comfort in her warmth. She was right. In that moment nothing else mattered. Time after time they found one another. No amount of time or distance could break what they had. Time after time, they had found their way back to each other, and to him, it all made sense now. She was that one in a million. She was the one.

For Harleigh, she knew she wouldn't be staying after Christmas. She knew she would take Cody home and disappear again. That was how she coped. She'd come back, she always came back, but she wouldn't come back until she was sure. Until she was certain she was ready to walk the streets of South Side Chicago again. Time after time, she came back to him, she found her way back to the one person who had always had her back, who had protected her when no one else would. But he deserved to live a life unhindered by someone else's problems. In that moment, she vowed she wouldn't hinder him with her dysfunctional family anymore.

Time after time, they would find each other, but that day, that day they had all they needed in life. Family, friends and happy memories. Laughter filled the house as presents were passed around, the youngest of the clan amazed by the tree and the lights and the music. Fiona watched everyone with a content smile on her face. Ian and Lip goofed up, bringing forth more laughter and good cheer. Cody and Carl, Debbie and Liam all crowded around the tree, passing presents to one another, cheerful smiles lighting up their faces. Even Frank was in good spirits. He passed a bottle to Harleigh, noticing how despite the smile on her face, she seemed lost in thought. She smiled and took a swig, letting the warm liquid ease her troubles.

That day, the outside world stood still. Time froze like the snow on the pavement. Kev and V joined them just in time for dinner, bringing gifts of their own. True to the Gallagher nature, a party soon unfolded, leaving the house filled with laughter and music and memories that everyone would carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Harleigh excused herself some time later, scribbled a quick note to Lip, before returning to the party, the note safely tucked in the one place she knew Lip would look eventually. She smiled as she joined her family and friends, her world seemingly complete if only for a moment.

Time after time, year after year, she would find herself returning to the one place she always called home.

* * *

 **A/N: I've decided to end this story before I got any more twisted with the content, haha. Thank you to everyone whose read and reviewed, it means the world to me! I have decided that I will be writing a sequel that will be taking place 3 years after this one (So roughly season 5ish) which will show a lot of what happened after this one ended as well as how Harleigh changed Lip's story line. I hope you all join me on that adventure which will be starting soon enough!**


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